itshoneys

[itshoneys]

──for a brief moment that felt to her like it lasted a whole eternity, she wondered if perhaps he would be put off by the gesture; maybe it would come off wrong, like a bribe, like she had ulterior motives. Honey is not the overthinking type, she does things by heart because they come naturally to her, so it was really throwing her off the loop to go over a hundred possible ways this could turn out in her head, all but in a second of the time. a sigh of relief almost fell from her lips upon observing his reaction. a small, timid smile, tugged on her lips when she noticed that he seemed genuinely touched by the gesture —which was really only out of pure interest in him; she had seen the watch and immediately thought of how it would suit him, so she simply had to get it for him ( the thought still made her blush, and she was thankful for the lights in the club concealed the rosy tint that dusted her cheekbones ).

warm brown hues met his mesmerizing blue ones and it was one of the rare times she had trouble maintaining eye contact, even for a long collection of seconds. for Honey it was uncommon, she was often the center of attention, she was used to people looking at her, but the way he was looking at her now was making her blush harder, her heart fluttered in her chest and she struggled to keep her hand steady and play it cool. when Elijah took the box, she immediately pulled her hand back; a slow, graceful movement, despite how desperate she was to hide the tremble of her hands to not give her nervousness away.

the smile hastened as she beamed at his words when he finally laid eyes upon her gift. “nonsense,” she breathed; of course, you are, she wanted to tell him, but the words died in the back of her throat as he pulled her into an embrace. it was a welcomed gesture, even as it caught her off guard. her arms wrapped around him, tentatively, almost as if she was worried about really holding him —was he able to tell how fast her heart was beating? she was so going to embarrass herself and make him uncomfortable, she scolded herself in her head. “you deserve it,” she smiled at his words, momentarily allowed herself to relax against him, step a little closer, even if for a brief second before he pulled away. it was like a giddy feeling bubbling inside of her, like a high school girl who had a crush and fawned over them, or how she would be able to smell his cologne on her dress for the rest of the evening. lost in thought, it took her a moment to let her gaze drift from his face to the watch he held out to her and she gave a coquettish smile, taking the watch from him. she swallowed nervously, steadying her hands, hoping it wasn’t evident, as she put the watch on his wrist, turning his hands to fasten the strap. her fingers lingered against the back of his palm as she looked at the watch, meeting his gaze before realizing she still held on his hand and slowly, pulled her hand away. for someone who is a natural talker, and a very good flirt, she really didn’t know what else to say, just to keep talking to him.

“I hope there isn’t a significant other who will be coming after me for this,” she teased; mentally cringing inside. real smooth, Honey, she thought to herself, wanting to turn around, run and hide.

A man of keen observations Elijah had picked up on something with Honey, her behaviors told a story, it was just one that he supposed he subconsciously disbelieved. What would a young woman like her want to have anything to do with a man like him? Honey owned a nightclub, she was one of those heavyweights in social media, men and women fawned over her daily. He'd seen it with his own blue eyes consistently for as long as he'd known her. Somewhere along the line he'd convinced himself that it was just her nature. She was young, fun, and flirty. In her prime. There was an undeniable sweetness to her. At most, she was simply humoring him. It worked, though. Elijah smiled and was grateful that someone considered him worthy of charms, even if it was just playtime for her.

It was humbling to be thought of at all. As a man that had nothing because he had no memory beyond the last thirteen years even holiday was a lonely one. Not that he helped matters with how much he kept to himself. A smile formed on his lips as she presented a box in her hand and offered it to him. With as alone as he felt, completely solitary in life in every which way, Elijah absently scratched his chest with a light grazing of his fingers. It had to have shone that he was genuinely touched. "I —" He didn't know what to say, even worse he hadn't gone out and gotten her anything special. It wasn't something he'd done with anyone. With a swipe, Elijah took the box from her palm and looked at Honey for a long few seconds before opening the box. The watch was stunning and his lips curled back immediately smiling. "Wow, I'm — uh, not deserving of this. It's beautiful, thank you." It was without thought that he'd gently grasped her wrist and pulled her in for an embrace. Elijah had not been an affectionate person, maybe he never truly had, but this occasion called for it. He gently squeezed her in his arms and smiled against her hair at her temple, breathed in the scent of her shampoo and perfume. "Thank you," he said quietly, close to her ear, touched by her gesture. When he released Honey he held the watch out to her and his wrist. "You have to do the honors." Of course he'd wear it right now.

[itshoneys]

──Honey gave her best friend a side eye, but she still grins at the effort to reassure her. “I have a crush on someone,” she scrunched up her face as if it pained her to admit it; it was not often that she would admit it to someone else, even her best friends, because it usually blew up soon and she was moving on to the next thing, but this one was a little persistent. “and it’s a man…” she said it as if she didn’t really want Alice to hear of it, even if she knew she wouldn’t judge her. but the fact that it was on a guy, no less, and her usual crushed were on girls ( she generally was more attracted to them, she found ) made it a little odd for her, even if she expected nothing to come of it, as it often happened; love is the one area Honey hasn’t had much luck in, if she is to honest.

a fond pearl of laughter fell from her lips, and she shrugged a shoulder coyly. “I do, but for snacks,” she giggled. “you know I don’t cook,” but she loves home-cooked meals, especially the ones her bestie prepares for them. Alice is such a great cook, everything she makes is delicious. another burst of laughter escaped her lips. “what does she look like?” she asked, curiously. “did she ask for a photo or your autograph?” for Honey it was a little scary for someone to be obsessed with her in a not so normal way to find her home address, even more so given what she had been through a few years ago, hence why she did not like to live on her own —she had begged Hunter to move in with her, and she was ecstatic when Alice moved in a couple of months later.

she hummed a little, for Alice’s argument was a valid point, but she still wanted to tease her a little about it. it was cute, she thought, that she was going out with Hunter; her two best friends dating was kinda romantic in her opinion. “as long as you don’t forget about little old me,” she teased, bumping her shoulder against hers. “oh, and I was not invited?” a mock offended tone laced through her voice. “rude,” she laughed. “Eric is a cool guy, his mom didn’t like me much when I first met her, I think she is a little racist,” she shrugged, laughing a little. “Carl?” Honey gave Alice a look, waved a hand dismissively. “he doesn’t like half of the things he can’t control.” in fact, she was vaguely aware of why he was pissed at Hunter because she heard them talk at the club the other day, but she didn’t have the heart to tell Alice about it. “pay him no mind, let Hunter deal with him” —and put him in his place, went unsaid.

⸻ Alice looked at her friend upon the request. ❛ I will promise to TRY to not laugh. Laughs are automatic sometimes but go ahead. ❜ She assured her bestie to say whatever it was running through her head. ❛ Don't you like shopping in the supermarket? Because I enjoy buying fresh food to make a nice meal…❜ Or is it her family's roots talking through her? Her father is a chef regardless. ❛ Oh, we do. It's a woman. She wanted eggs, but I think she is my biggest fan. She seemed she was having a heart attack when she saw me personally. I hope not to be disappointed by what she sees in me in person. ❜ She mused it out loud, but also half-telling at her friend.

The next question caught her off guard… She blushed ❛ I cook for you, so why wouldn't cook for him as well? ❜ Neither of her friends asked her to cook for them Alice, does it because she has pleasure in cooking. She didn't cook as well as her father ( who is a Michelin Chef ) but it is " eatable ". ⎯ She entered on the car. ❛ Oh, remember the last trip I went? It was to watch Hunter's race, it was one of his competition, I forgot the name of it, he gave me a jacket of his team. And his father was out there watching out for him. ❜ She informed her best about everything they did on the event.

❛ Oh, his father is nice, but his manager was mad at him the whole time, because he miss the training.❜ And yet, Alice believes that every stress of Hunter's manager might be related to the work.

[itshoneys]

──as a true libra and committed to her aesthetic on all of her social media accounts, Honey always tried to take the best photos and videos. she had perfected her skill over the years, so much so she could make a mundane activity seem intriguing through her editing skills —but she was thankful she had a team for that now to help out as her time was limited compared to a couple of years back. Aside from the aesthetic, though, she also wanted to be genuine and it was a reason she had accumulated such a large audience and following; success had not altered that and people appreciated that she wouldn’t sell them bullshit just for follows and money.

she was half distracted, snapped a photo to send to a friend of her pink coffee drink, when the other spoke; warm brown hues looked up to meet her gaze, a sweet smile adorning her lips. for a moment she was slightly stunned by how pretty the other was, before shaking the thought off and concentrating on the question. “oh, and you lowkey caught me just doing that,” she laughed, a coy sound. “I really prefer to shoot from above,” she shrugged, still smiling softly. “would you like me to show you?” she offered.

closed starter; haliya ochoa

with honey anne lavere @ aleria bakery & cafe ( @itshoneys )

                 Haliya had noticed the other woman’s presence,  pointing her phone at the beautifully displayed array of baked goods while others walked past her or asked her to excuse them because they wanted to check the goodies, too, the other times she had come to Aleria. This time, they had picked tables close to each other, so, the best-selling author thought it to be the perfect opportunity to reach out and talk to her. “Since you seem to be a true connoisseur of all things when it comes to taking nice pictures, would you mind helping a girl out? Which angle is better for my coffee picture?”

[itshoneys]

──when her friend was done with her work and they could go, Honey beamed at Alice, laughing joyfully as she looped her arm through hers. the question made her blush a little and she shook her head as a “no, not really,” fell from her lips. it wasn’t as if she could hide anything from Alice or else she was coming off as weird, much like it had happened while keeping her birthday party a surprise. “I will tell you, but you promise not to laugh at me, okay?” she exclaimed after a moment, a nearly exasperated sigh falling from her lips —not like it was a big deal; it would pass, she knew of it deep down, much like every crush of hers this too would run its course and she would be on to the next one, only to start all over again ( classic libra, after all ). her pretty face scrunched up at the next words and she gave Alice a look. “I was talking about fun shopping, but sure, yes,” she laughed, and then squinted a little. “we have a new neighbor?” not like she would have easily noticed when she was away most of the time, always busying herself with one thing or another. a smile formed on her lips and she bumped her shoulder against Alice while she was giving her a conspirational look. “you want to cook for Hunter?” she was just teasing her though, Alice was always the one doing the cooking; Honey tried to help where she could, but she is pretty useless when she is in the kitchen anyway. and then she gaped at her just as her driver opened the door for the two of them. “you didn’t tell me that! when? how? was Eric good to you or must I make a phone call?”

⸻ If she was in a better mood, Alice would rather make the pizza herself, instead of ordering. She much rather cook her own food, especially Italian food, rather than order them for home. ❛ Sounds like a good plan. ❜ She refers to pop wine too. But fortunately for them, she knew Honey long enough, and vice-versa to know when one or another isn't feeling ok. The days passed by and Alice was finding a tad weird why Honey suddenly was uninterested in spending time with her. Of course, she was unaware there was a birthday surprise for her at Nirvana.

Once she finally got a nice outfit and showed it to her bestie approval, she seemed to like it. ❛ Ohhh, absolutely. Let's go. ❜ She entangled her arm with her. A blonde brow arched at her comment. ❛ Is there anything special in Nirvana that I don't know about? ❜ She inquired curiously, because of the 'self-care'. ❛ I think we also need to stop by to make groceries but you will help me. I handed our last eggs to our new neighbor. Our fridge is sort of empty anyway. I don't know what Hunter likes to eat to premade something for him and his crazy schedule. And I met his father.❜ She informed Honey.

[itshoneys]

──Honey smiled softly, “I know, I follow you,” she said in an almost teasing tone. she was aware that this was a lifestyle that no longer fit the vision Keziah had for herself and she wanted to respect that, not make their friendship about it or their conversations revolve around it, either. they did not need to talk of it, but she was aware that it was not always easy to avoid the topic; whether they liked it or not they were recognized, even Keziah who had stepped back from it all a long while ago. every time they hung out, there were throngs of photos she was getting tagged at from the press, fans, even mere passers-by who simply spotted them together. sometimes, she could admit, it was exhausting to her too; there were always photos of her taken, no matter where she’d go; Keziah, Kira, Alice, Hunter —there had been rumors of them dating even when she was clearly dating his friend, and people still brought it up from time to time after all these years ( funny how in truth, she had been more interested in Keziah and Alice in a romantic way than she had ever been in Hunter ).

her fingers idly curled and uncurled strands of Keziah’s hair, and she laughed again at the confession even if she already knew it. “I used to it,” she shrugged a shoulder, nonchalant about it. “I have been so popular since high school,” she admitted with an airy laughter, “I think I would be more lost at this point without the attention.” and she was obviously joking; she would enjoy a little more privacy, but it was her choice and, unlike her friend, she did not feel suffocated or pressured by it. a frown graced her features at the following response and she leaned against the bar a little. “do you want to go on a trip, first chance you get?” she inquired, her tone underlined with excitement. she knew that Keziah was busy, of course, so she would leave it up to her for if and when they could travel together. “or, I will have to drag you out of your house and away from your work more often till then,” she teased, bumping her shoulder lightly against her friend’s.

Keziah’s much happier these days. There isn’t this constant need to put on a show, or present some version of herself that just didn’t exist. Has to always be kind when somebody stops her on the street. Has to be willing to pose for a selfie every time she’s asked. Has to always have a smile. When she tried to enforce boundaries, it — obviously — wasn’t well-received. That’s when the negative content started to pop up — ‘fans’ sharing their nightmare experiences with Keziah… when all she did was say ‘no.’ It was an influencer faux pas, apparently. After all, without her viewers, she would be nothing — at least, that’s what they said.

“I don’t even post that much content anymore,” she tried, rubbing at her temple with an exasperated expression, giving Honey a long look; who’s always so put together. Beautiful and alluring, and sometimes, had Keziah feeling self-conscious in comparison. This had been a common occurrence when she was in that world. She didn’t fit. Not like her friend. “One or two videos a month… plus, nobody even really uses YouTube anymore,” attempting to wave off the prospect of recognition — the notion seemed ridiculous. Though, the reality was much different. She still gets stopped on the street, even here.

Her gaze set on Honey, casting a flicker towards her friend’s hand when she toyed with her hair. She had never done much with her hair, if she were honest. The only time she visited the salon was for a blowdry or stylish session before an event, and before that, the most drastic hair transformation she’d taken was a cut. “I’m… not gonna do anything. I was being dramatic — it’s just exhausting being noticed all the time, I don’t know how you do it,” she ruminated, a half-smile on her lips. She followed the bartender’s movements for a snap, then returned her attention to Honey. “Not sure what there is to tell you? All I do is work. This new case has me pretty busy.”

[itshoneys]

[itshoneys]

──a bright, genuine smile adorned her beautiful features and she gave Kira a mock-scolding look, waving a hand dismissively. “I look okay,” she responded in a teasing, playful tone. it is not that Honey doesn’t know how pretty she is, but it doesn’t go to her head and she also can admit it when another woman is stunningly beautiful, too, it is not some complex of hers to need to be the better looking one. like Kira or Keziah, Alice; her friends are freaking gorgeous and she knows all of them need a reminder of it ( she too could use one from time to time as well, but her confidence rarely needs the extra boost ).

her arm was still wrapped around Kira when she leaned closer and she laughed a little. “come on,” she nudged her forward a little, pressing her body against hers for a moment —even though it was a little hard to maintain a distance anyway given how packed the place was ( nothing new there, Honey was used to it, she liked it ). her hand slipped to take a hold of Kira’s as she lead the way to the bar, gently nudged a couple of people so the two of them could fit in the bar. “what do you want?” she asked as she flagged the bartender down. her eyes returned to her friend and a smile immediately graced her lips. “I’ve missed you!” she exclaimed, softly. “it’s been a while, how have you been?” she inquired, reaching out to brush a strand of dark curl out of Kira’s face.

Usually Kira wasn't much of a nightclub girlie. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy going out, dancing and drinking, having fun. The brunette preferred a little more low-key than a three-story establishment that was crowded. Every time she'd dropped it she'd had a good time, and now more than ever Kira needed to take her mind off of things, so she tried to remember that as she moved through the throng of bodies swaying and moving to every beat. The music practically thrummed through her lithe figure and pulsed in her ears, there was no way to think in here. That was what she'd needed, right? To not think.

In Woodside she was recognized a little more than most other places. So, when Honey had made it to Kira and wrapped an arm around her waist, the brunette hadn't even made it to the bar yet for a drink. Her smile was immediate and her body naturally moved against the owner's. "Don't play with me," Kira gave Honey a little squeeze, "you know you look incredible." In fact, she couldn't think of a time she'd ever seen the woman look anything less than one hundred percent. Either way, Kira appreciated the compliment. It was wrong of her but she'd silently hoped that her ex was somewhere in the mass of people, seeing her and Honey move to the music. The brunette leaned in closer to Honey's ear to be heard over the music. "What's it take for a girl to get a drink around here?"

[itshoneys]

[itshoneys]

KYLIE VERZOSA via tiktok

[itshoneys]

──it was often she was craving sweets, but not really the likes of ice cream. however, she would never pass a chance to get something delicious from Rita’s —usually a milkshake or some frozen custard. today she was craving her favorite gelati, and having a long day ahead she could definitely use it, too.

she stood in line, responding to her emails; knowing what she wanted to order she didn’t need to look at the menu or the other flavors, not today. her warm brown gaze shifted to the man at the exclamation, a soft smile tugging on her lips when their gazes met. it only grew when he spoke to her, still gentle and kind, and she slipped her phone into her purse. “my favorite isn’t really everyone’s day favorite,” she gave a playful wink. “I am getting a custard base with bits of cookies, sponge cake, and sweet wine today,” she elaborated, “but I am also a milk chocolate and hazelnut fan, or the forest fruits!” the options are really endless, it seemed to her. “what are your favorite flavors? I can help with a suggestion!”

𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑 !

LOCATION ⸻ rita's.

special delivery: honey lavere ⟨ @itshoneys ⟩

Not only had he grown up in Woodside, he had also returned to his hometown some thirteen years ago. Why had he never been into Rita's? It was old fashioned, classy, traditional. When he'd been a teenager in this town Isaiah supposed he'd stayed away due to it being Italian and all he wanted was some traditional ice cream, or perhaps a traditional Hawaiian ice. He'd been young and hadn't known the difference and now after passing it on the street for one too many times He'd decided to finally stop in. The menu was rich with Italian ice made from fresh fruit, frozen custard, gelati, blenders, and milkshake. "Wow," Isaiah commented as he rubbed his fingers against his neck, still perusing the options on the menu. When he looked at the woman just ahead of him, he smiled, "have you been here before? Those ice cream sandwiches look good. What would you recommend, though?"

[itshoneys]

───the words were certainly not what Honey was hoping to hear. this was one of the few times she was feeling embarrassed, even though it was technically not her fault if she’d take a moment to step back and think about it. “shit…” she breathed, biting into her donut, more out of nervousness now than being hungry. which then made her realize she couldn’t even return the damn thing now. she laughed at the following words, meeting the other’s gaze with a smile. “unlikely…” she mused, trying to rake her brain for a solution. she could call Alice and ask if she could drop by to give her some cash, but Hunter would absolutely kill her if she made him turn around for this. maybe she could try another friend, like Keziah or Elijah, but she was ashamed to call and ask for money, but also be an inconvenience to them. “okay,” she shifted closer; now they were in this together, it seemed. “we can either ask around, or I can play the influencer card…” she listed her ideas, looking at Dylan, expecting him to pinch in as he took another bite of her donut.

"Um... we might have a problem here." Dylan had been working from home all morning, and a walk to grab coffee seemed like the perfect way to stretch his legs. He didn’t expect to run into a snag like this. The night before, after a long day of meetings, he had stopped by the grocery store to restock his fridge and pantry. On his way out, he was intercepted by the high school girls’ basketball team, who were selling homemade baked goods to fund their trip to a tournament in February. A sucker for sweets, Dylan had found himself spending forty dollars cash on a collection of macaroons, cookies, brownies, cupcakes, and chocolate-covered pretzels. At least it was for a good cause, though his wallet hadn’t agreed. “Do you think they’d be willing to let us pay later?” he asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty. “An old-fashioned IOU, maybe?"

[itshoneys]

──her morning had been chaotic; she overslept and she never does. her phone was blowing up because she was running late to a meeting and she struggled to put herself together; just a little makeup, brushing her hair and pulling it into a messy bun, threw on a pair of jeans and a plain pastel pink sweatshirt, literally running after Hunter before he could leave the house to get a lift downtown or else she would be even more late waiting for an Uber ( she refused to drive, even after all this time, she struggles so much with it ). but she forgot where the appointment was supposedly to take place and she had to check her messages, only to find she had gotten the location wrong and the meeting was not supposed to be for the club, but a collaboration she would advertise on her platforms. she could definitely not show up like this for that, so after getting dropped of at the coffee place she frequent, she called to say she was sorry, they would have to reschedule.

she went inside and ordered herself her usual, got a donut too ( she would call it self-care ). but when she goes to pay she finds she has forgotten her wallet and the waitress informs her they had trouble at the moment accepting online payments. Honey looked at the man closer to her and excused herself from the checkout for a moment. “hey,” she greeted with a warm smile. “I am terribly sorry but can you please pay for my order and I can cashapp you?” apple pay, whatever, she hope he used anything other than damn cash and credit cards. “I forgot my wallet…and they can’t get online payment…” she elaborated a second later, whilst he’d think her to be a fraud. ( @shorelinedreaams / dylan moore )

[itshoneys]

──the response was enough to let Honey know it was one of those ‘if you don’t eat I won’t’ so she smiled at her best friend, brightly. “oh, I am glad you suggested pizza! we can pop out a wine!” she winked at her as she picked up her phone to place an order —she had been friends with Alice for so long, that she pretty much knew her preferences as well as the other way around. the smile faltered on her lips when she mentioned her family canceled the trip, thinking it had to be a boomer, Alice was probably looking forward to seeing them, and she was glad she had been putting her surprise birthday party together and she could cheer her up —for both of the past month's events, as well as her family, ditching her during the holidays ( now, not that she was judging, maybe they had work to do, like every other person ). the days leading up to the party she was being a little secretive and she conveniently forgot to say happy birthday to Alice on an actual day, whilst it seemed like she was avoiding her when in fact she was just running around to make sure that every last detail about it was perfect, especially after the cake order had been messed up and she was lowkey freaking out before letting Hunter handle it or she would have an absolute crisis.

part of her was still recovering from the party and the holidays; everything had been so chaotic even for her who usually loved the party scene a little too much. on top of it, she was also feeling a little sad because she had been lowkey ghosted, even though she probably shouldn’t when she was sure this had been a thing to simply distract her from her actual crush —why does it always feel like she is lucky in everything else but love? the only good thing that actually came from her last serious relationship ( which, by the way, was a good five years ago ) was meeting Hunter who had been a friend of her then-boyfriend. any attempt to find someone after that had sunk more or less like the Titanic —don’t hate her for the reference. no man or woman she could find be interested in more than a fling with her or pass the time.

“I can wait,” she smiled, her warm brown hues involuntarily taking in the whole outfit as Alice stood up —her friend was really freaking gorgeous. “I was just thinking we can grab lunch?” she shrugged a shoulder, still smiling a little. “maybe do some shopping, because that always lifts my mood,” a pearl of laughter fell from her lips. she could get a few new dresses to try to impress her crush, but she could tell that to Alice later in private. “get mani-pedis….” she mused on, pulling a chair out for herself to sit.

⸻ Normally when she is a bit upset, or sad or else, she doesn't feel hungry. But if Honey hasn't eaten anything, she would join her otherwise she would withdraw to her bedroom. ❛ If you hadn't dinner yet, I would eat pizza or else, but if you do, I don't want anything. ❜ She doesn't need her bestie worried about her. It was irritating hearing the same jokes of bad taste at the studio about herself. She reached out and turned off the TV, and made a messy bun on her long, silky, and golden platinum hair. ❛ Oh, you do? Funny. My parents canceled our family trip. Not always do we manage to gather the family anyway. ❜ After all on her birthday, the date was terrible. It was fine, she'd have Honey and they would enjoy the New Year party. She always uses the NYE party as her own birthday.

In truth, Alice suspected that Honey was a bit odd with her, and a few people, but she thought, since she is under the weather as of late, she is finding everything "bad" and her overthinking mind. ⎯ She didn't expect the reason for all of it to be a surprise birthday party. She never had a surprise birthday in her life! She was excited and grateful for the 'gift' and all the people she adores from work and outside were in the club, she was so drunk that she did not recall how she made it home that day. She fell asleep in the club and woke up in her bed.

And it was another day at work, she already wore her blue outfit the stylist picked for her. Her hairstylist was finishing her hair, and she promised herself she wouldn't read the mean comments on social media ( truth be told, this was a promise she always broke ) . Then she picked up her phone and saw what people were tagging her for, a few posts with Hunter because he asked her out on a public date, in a live TV conference. And the followers of her ex claimed she was seeking fame through famous men. And a new single her ex made a diss track about her. I shouldn't date a singer… A voice told in her mind.

The voice caught her off guard, and she was holding her phone, and another assistant adjusted the microphone in her clothing. ❛ Hi! Thank you! ❜ She stood up from the chair, adjusting her outfit by looking at herself in the mirror. ❛ I don't have much time for now. I will film the last part and then I'm free if you can wait. I promise it's fast. I'll do everything in one take. What's up? ❜ She hasn't expected to see Honey at her work at all… Maybe something serious happened.

[itshoneys]

──people don’t often find bad things to say about Honey; netizens frequently comment that it is almost like she is not real, unnatural like she is keeping up a facade and has been doing so for years. the truth is, even though she grew up in a family that was well-off and didn’t face any financial struggles, her life hadn’t been perfect; her maternal grandmother bullied them, constantly, because her mother had been the third person in their father’s previous marriage for a while. Honey knew what it was like to be unwanted and treated like a second-rate citizen, and perhaps this was why, even though she was always popular, she made a point to be nice to everyone. she was extroverted, bubbly, and a little bit of a flirt ever since she could remember herself, and when someone from her high-school or college days made a post about her online it was always to say something good for her and she would take the time to comment and interact, often getting excited to catch up; she is a people’s person, that much is plain.

but that isn’t to say she is genuinely friends with everyone; she is friendly, but her true friends are few, people she can trust with her troubles and worries. like Keziah, even if she is a newfound friend and they are still growing closer, Honey feels she can trust her. “yeah, right…” sarcasm evident in her tone, a smirk on her lips, for she feels comfortable teasing her, too, knowing she won’t be mad at her. “it’s not like I am on social media or anything,” she added with a laugh —however, she can understand her friend’s need to put some distance between her life now and her influencer days, but surely enough it is easier said than done; few people manage to disappear after having been in the eye of the public for an extensive amount of time.

“oh, right,” she nodded, smiling a little coyly. “you are right…” she half-rolled her eyes at herself; it isn’t as if she doesn’t also post the occasional vlog, even if she is considered an influencer all in all. “are you seriously looking for a change though?” she inquired, this time her tone lacked any teasing hints. “because I would suggest maybe some baby lights…” Honey mused as she reached out to adjust a couple of Keziah’s curls. she smiled. “so, other than that? tell me what you have been up to! It’s been a while since I got you all alone to chat,” she teased as she gestured for the bartender to get them another round.

Keziah had never had the magnetism Honey did — it all came so naturally to her. While many liked to compliment her on how inviting she seemed in her videos, or how she knew to put people at ease; for her, it came with the territory. That’s what being a yoga instructor was: making people feel safe, comfortable, and relaxed. The practice practically revolved around it. What Honey had, she had in spades; it was a quality that nobody could replicate — you either have it or you don’t. Keziah didn’t, and she knew it. Maybe that had been why it had been easier for her to step away from it all.

To be an influencer, people had to want it, to be willing to, occasionally, sell themselves for the content, and she had never been able to do that. It was an extraordinary circumstance, and many could only dream for the chance she’d been granted, but it had been unnatural. The comedown had been entirely its own experience — when the particularly nasty comments began on her Instagram, she’d decided to limit her accessibility. If people wanted actual content, they would need to go to her YouTube channel. Her life was no longer for public consumption.

“People don’t recognize me,” she lied; she didn’t even know why she did that. Honey knew better. There had been the irregular moment where they’d been seen together, and the pictures would end up on the ‘Discover’ page of Instagram only hours later, with some amalgamation of ‘social media darling, Honey Anne Lavere’ and ‘wellness influencer, Keziah Emem.’ She tipped back the contents of her cocktail, then rested her temple against a fisted hand, her simper turning into a laugh, “Also, correction: it’s vlogger.” She had been told once, there was a difference. Not that she’d fully understood it at the time. Keziah pulled her lips between her teeth, then she scrunched her nose at the vision, “Yeah, I don’t think a bob’s going to be my look.”

[itshoneys]

──when Elijah looked at her over his shoulder, she had to smile or else she was certain she would be looking up at him with the very equivalent of heart eyes and she was trying not to be too obvious. there was an urge to touch her cheeks to make sure she wasn't blushing as furiously as she felt she was, but that would have been seriously embarrassing —she hoped that the dim lights of the club would help her save some face, at the very least. it wasn’t often she felt like this for someone; sure she had crushes before, but it mostly consisted of her finding someone pretty, and usually girls at that, but looking at Elijah there wasn’t a thing she did not find herself attracted to; his looks, his mannerism, the way his voice sounded or how he looked at her. even the way he would discreetly bring her one of her favorite drinks at random.

when he spoke, her heart fluttered a little; had to remind herself not to stare at him. perhaps he isn’t aware of the effect he has on her —or he is and hence his response is worded so. and that’s when she had to quietly clear her throat before speaking again, whilst holding his gaze with a coy little smile adorning her lips. “don’t argue, Elijah,” she laughed, a mock-scolding tone laced through her velvety drawl. she is shy, too shy, to tell him that she wanted to give him a personal gift, not one that would be from her and Hunter and the club. “it’s a small gift,” she gave a coquettish shrug, holding the box in front of her. “I just thought it would really suit you,” Honey added, mildly mortified with herself for half admitting she had thought of him when she saw this Frederique Constant classic tourbillon meteorite manufacture watch and just had to get it for him, thinking it would genuinely suit him. and then she held the box out to him, smiling once more when she met his blue eyes. “tell me what you think…” she was nervous even if it did not carry through her tone.

Thankfully near the entrance it wasn't as busy and noisy. It was merely a passway to get from the door where clubbers would be let in to the plethora of options available ahead of them. Elijah didn't like sitting in the security room overseeing the three levels of the club on monitoring screens from all the cameras. There were staff, his guys, people under his direct employ for that. Himself, he preferred to roam the spaces of the club and have a piece in his ear on the chance that something popped off. It was much more relaxed now that life was back to normal following the holidays. People were long done with vacations and the crowds and their rowdiness had simmered down.

At the tap to his shoulder, Elijah only cast his blue eyes over to take a quick look. Seeing that it was his boss, the beautiful and sweet Honey Anne, he fully turned to face the woman with a faint smile on his lips. The expression was genuine. He'd always liked her company, and couldn't quite understand why she was so sweet to him. Maybe she was like that with most, it was her nature — that's what he'd told himself. "For you?" Eyes lifted along with the hint of his smile. "Always." His head leant to the side in a minuscule gesture at noting she had something held behind her back. There was no breaking of the long silence and Elijah held her gaze. "It's not my birthday, Honey," he teased gently. Fact was he had no idea when that was officially. "You've already done enough, you know that."

[itshoneys]

──the club was busy, as usual, and she made her rounds; a bright smile adorning her lips as she greeted throngs of guests, some of them regulars that she knew and greeted by their first name now. she would take the time to make small talk, not just part of her PR policy, but being genuinely welcoming; besides, she is usually chatty so this is definitely something she enjoys way more than the paperwork, the invoices and all the office work that she usually lets Hunter handle —serves him right for slacking off if you ask her.

she adjusted the strap of her dress, making a beeline for the bar in order to get a refill, she didn’t want to be an inconvenience to any of the waiters when the club was this busy and they already had so much work to do when she spotted Kira in the crowd. Honey made her way over, coyly swaying to the beat as she reached the other woman; an arm wrapping around her small frame, urging the other to at least sway if not dance with her. “I would have dolled up if I knew you would be here,” she gave a flirty smile. in truth, she looked great, as she always does, because she loves dolling up and putting effort into her look. but the same could be said for Kira; it often found Honey quite in awe at how breathtakingly gorgeous she was; even when she had no makeup with her face all sweaty from running on the field ( especially then, because in her book no one can possibly look this good like that ). ( @wrongtvrns / kiraz kutlar )

[itshoneys]

──the thing about Honey, even before becoming an influencer, was that she would always be the popular girl; it was the air she had about her, how bubbly she was, and how easygoing, could always strike up a conversation with a complete stranger, never shy to make her presence known. she had never really been the mean girl, even if she could be an absolute bitch if she needed to be, but that was seldom the case. when she started posting videos of her life on YouTube, it wasn’t long till she was noticed and soon she had gone from YouTube videos to Instagram posts, following the latest platforms, and of course, TikTok later on —even though she mainly posts on Instagram and has her platforms linked so her content is out on all of them when she posts something. eventually, her following had grown so much that she was getting overwhelmed with all the collaborations, the photo shoots, and editing her content, she hired a few people to help her out and it was her main job, besides the club that she had only got involved in three years ago, a bit after coming to live in Woodside.

she waved at some girls who greeted her from afar, her gaze drifting back to her friend when she spoke and she laughed a little. “babes, you are so gorgeous, I think people will notice your face either way…” she smiled once more. “do you want a change or just tired of being Keziah the yoga blogger?” and though she only meant to tease her, she was no stranger to how Keziah felt in regards to how her life was still revolving around her influencer days even if she had chosen to step back from it all —for which Honey truly admired her; going back to her studies was a huge deal, and she could never see herself doing anything like this, she liked the attention, it was no secret, even if she wasn’t greedy in that sense. "maybe it will give you a more professional look.." she teased her with a coy smile.

location:  nirvana status:  closed starter for @itshoneys

Whenever she used to tell people she was a content creator, Keziah had to elaborate. What did she mean? What type of content? She couldn’t really make money from that online ‘stuff,’ could she? Then, she had to explain to a close-minded person that she really could make money from it. In fact, she had been successfully doing it for years. Don’t get her started on the ones that assumed Keziah was an airhead who got lucky so she didn’t have to work ‘a real job.’ The scrutiny of being labeled an influencer had only reached a boiling point in the era of TikTok — she was forced to transition to a new platform with shortened content, and promote herself in ways she hadn’t before, which brought their own problems. —— Nobody understood the lifestyle better than Honey. She was in the thick of it. Her life screamed ‘influencer’ in a way that Keziah had never been able to truly connect with; which wasn’t a bad thing, by any means. It just meant, on occasion, she would keep a snarky comment to herself — ones, Honey definitely didn’t deserve. It wasn’t her fault Keziah had become cynical.

A finger ran along the rim of her drink, staring down into the bright pink cocktail like it held all the answers of the universe — that if she stared long enough, eventually, it would solve all of her problems… oh, to be so lucky. The deep exhale of a sigh stirred a wave into her drink, and she turned her head towards Honey. There was a smile on her face, pandering to anybody who might be watching, because who wouldn’t be whenever Honey was in the room? Plus, knowing Keziah’s luck, looking bored and deflated could easily be misconstrued online. Even if that wasn’t her life anymore. “Do you think if I changed up my hair, maybe people might not recognize me anymore? Maybe I should get a bob — thoughts?”